East German Volksmarine Maat auf Zeit Paradeuniform

As the principle maritime force of the East German National Volksarmee, the Volksmarine was operationally incorporated into the United Baltic Sea Fleets of the greater Warsaw Pact sea force . Its designated area of operations was the Baltic Sea area and the entrances into the Baltic Sea. Its primary task was to keep the sea lanes open for the arrival of Soviet reinforcements and to conduct offensive operations against the coasts of enemy nations in the Baltic Sea area of operation. For conducting these missions, the Volksmarine was equipped with a substantially light force consisting of anti-submarine vessels, fast torpedo boats, minesweepers as well as landing craft for supporting the Army and conducting amphibious assault operations. The main operations the Volksmarine found itself conducting were heavily focused on engaging in extensive reconnaissance activities, carried out mainly by the minesweepers and specialized electronic surveillance boats against West Germany and her NATO allies.

Volksmarine Matrosen (Sailors) man heavy caliber cannons during training exercises in the Baltic Sea

When the Grenzbrigade Küste der Grenzpolizei (GBK) (Coastal Border Brigade of the Border Police) was absorbed into the Volksmarine from the Grenztruppen der DDR in 1961, the 6th Border Brigade (Coast) consisting of fast torpedo boats and other rapid assault forces were stationed on the Bug peninsula of the island of Rügen. The 6th Flotilla as it came to be known had a special responsibility concerning the prevention of republikflucht. This was the unauthorized defection of East German citizens into the West. With effect from 1 November 1961 it was subordinated to the People's Navy. It had a substantial number of small patrol boats and surveillance posts along the coast tasked with preventing anyone from leaving the GDR without official exit permission.

Throughout the duration of it's existence, the Volksmarine while notably the smallest of the East German armed forces would maintain an exceptional state of readiness. It maintained a personnel force of around 18,000 soldiers, a fleet of various types of ships as well as three squadrons of navalized helicopters including Mil Mi-4 Hound, Mil Mi-8 Hip & Mil Mi-14 Haze helicopters and a squadron of Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter ground attack aircraft acquired from the Soviet Union.

 

The uniform displayed here shows Paradeuniform (Parade Uniform) of an enlisted Maat auf Zeit (Petty Officer 3rd Class) in the East German Volksmarine. The Middy top is the standard style worn by navys world over and is constructed of  a polyester/cotton fabric with a flap collar of the traditional navy type of blue with white stripes and stars, and decorated sleeve cuffs. Unlike tunics, shoulderboards are not worn with the Middy as ranks and occupational specialties are displayed on the sleeves of the uniform.

 Middys varied as they were initially issued without buttons but as the wearer earned specialized decorations such as the shooting cord, the naval service buttons were purchased and sewn to the uniform for mounting of the devices. The shoulder loop was usually secured to a button on the shoulder and the other end secured to another button inside the Middy typically hidden underneath the service tie.

 

The cap shown here is the 'Donald Duck' style cap complete with the Volksmarine service cap tally. The enlisted man's cap was visorless and was mostly constructed of wool. It was dark navy blue in color and depending on the event in which the sailor was participating in the cap was worn at times with either a white or blue cap cover. This type of hat was worn wth the service uniform as well as walking out dress ceremony and parades.

Note the standard interior marking of NVA for the East German National Volksarmee. This example shown here carries a letter 'A' designation meaning the cap was manufactured in 1977. The number beneath the NVA stamp represents the size of the hat in centimeters, this example is 54cm or roughly 6¾in  by American sizing equivalents.

Here's a close up view of the national insignia worn by the enlisted personnel within the Volksmarine ranks. Note its distinct gold construction of the national roundel lacking the gold wreath of the officer corps.

Here's a close up view of the Volksmarine cap tally of service caps of the Volksmarine.

Here's a close up of the optional white cap cover usually worn with the 'Donald Duck' style caps typically worn during parades such as the annual Ehrenparade (Honor Parade) in East Berlin to celebrate the founding of the German Democratic Republic.

A manufacturer's tag from within the white cap cover showing that it was made by the VEB Hutwerke Guben Hat Works in Lunzenau, East Germany.

Shown here is a close up of the rifleman shooting cord awarded to enlisted personnel who are not assigned to coastal units or rocket/artillery units that maintain other specialized shooting cords. The Navy shooting cord is a braided blue polyester cord with a gold faceplate design of twin crossed rifles with fixed bayonets encircled by a wreath of oak leaves.

 Shown here is the service tie worn with the Navy Middy. The black tie is adorned with a small decorative white bow.

Instead of the Kragenspiegeln associated with other forces, shown here are the combination of insignia patches and service stripes worn by enlisted personnel on service Middys. The top patch appearing to be of a gear represents the rank of Maat auf Zeit (Petty Officer 3rd Class) along with the service stripe (2nd patch) and the final patch on the bottom is for the occupational specialization of the Elektrotechnik (Electrical Engineering) often abbreviated as E-Technik division of service.

Here is a close up of the decorative sleeve cuff of the Middy top complete with naval service button.

Here is a better picture of the Middy flap collar as viewed from behind. It is the standard type worn by enlisted members of Naval services around the world.

 

Shown here are the Navy blue trousers worn by the Navy. They are constructed of blue "Herringbone Twill" (HBT) fabric and again are unpiped with a button flap front.

Here's a shot of the interior tag of the pants displaying them as a size M44. The M standing for A person of average height and the 44 being equivalent to 30-32in in American waist sizing equivalents.

 

 

Here is an alternate cap showing the 'Donald Duck' style cap worn by sailors assigned to the  Grenzbrigade Küste der Grenzpolizei (GBK) (Coastal Border Brigade of the Border Police) units. It is of the same construction as the type worn by Volksmarine sailors only with an alternate Grenzbrigade Küste cap tally instead of the Volksmarine tally.

As shown earlier, note the standard interior marking of NVA for the East German National Volksarmee. This example shown here carries a letter 'A' designation meaning the cap was manufactured in 1977. The number beneath the NVA stamp represents the size of the hat in centimeters, this example is 54cm or roughly 6¾in  by American sizing equivalents.

 

Here is a view of the cap tally worn by the sailors of the Grenzbrigade Küste.

 

 

Here is a third style alternate cap showing the 'Donald Duck' style cap worn by sailors assigned to the naval forces of the Grenztruppen der DDR. It is of the same construction as the type worn by Volksmarine and Grenzbrigade Küste sailors only with an alternate Grenztruppen der DDR cap tally instead of the Volksmarine or Grenzbrigade Küste cap tallys.

Here is a view of the cap tally worn by the sailors of the Grenztruppen der DDR. 

Here's a close up of the optional blue cap cover usually worn with the 'Donald Duck' style caps typically worn during parades such as the annual Ehrenparade (Honor Parade) in East Berlin to celebrate the founding of the German Democratic Republic. Its construction is much more similar to the 'Donald Duck' hat instead of the white cap cover.

Here is a honor pennant presented to commemorate the service of the Grenzbrigade Küste der Grenzpolizei (GBK) (Coastal Border Brigade of the Border Police) to the East German armed forces. It shows a patrol boat and a border surveillance tower along the northern East German coastline utilizing the color green which was specialized of Border Control units (Grenztruppen der DDR & Grenzbrigade Küste). This pennant was presented during the 20th anniversary of the East German armed forces in 1976 and is embroidered on the back with the anniversary dates and the East German armed forces coat of arms.

Flag flown from ships of the Grenztruppen der DDR naval forces patroling the Oder and Elbe Rivers

Flag flown from ships of the Grenzbrigade Küste

Sailors of the Volksmarine march in the Tag der Republik parade celebrating the establishment of the German Democratic Republic on 7 October 1988 in East Berlin.

East German Volksmarine Oberleutnant zur See's Dienstuniform

Probably the smallest of the branches of the East German National Volksarmee, the Volksmarine was the naval force of the East German armed forces. Following lessons learned during the fight against the Nazi Kriegsmarine, when the Soviet Union began rearming the East German state it imposed strict limitations on the numbers, types and displacement of vessels operated by the East Germans. During the Second World War, Nazi submariners wreaked havoc on allied shipping so in the postwar years the Soviets were reluctant to arm the Volksmarine with submarines. Thus was one of the main differences between the East German Volksmarine and its West German Bundesmarine counterpart. While the West Germans operated several squadrons of submarines and destroyers, the heaviest ship operated by the East Germans was a small number of frigates.

Naval flag of the East German Volksmarine flown from East German warships

Initially the Volksmarine was created in 1950 as the Hauptverwaltung Seepolizei (Main Administration Sea Police), which was renamed Volkspolizei-See (VP-See) (People's Police - Sea) on 1 July 1952. Around this same time the maritime police force was reorganized to include the newly established Grenzpolizei-See (Border Police - Sea), to guard the East German state’s sea frontiers, alongside the Deutsche Grenzpolizei(German Border Police) that had been established in 1946. On 1 March 1956, East Germany formally created its Nationale Volksarmee, and the VP-See became the Verwaltung Seestreitkräfte der NVA (Maritime Forces Administration of the NVA) with about 10,000 men. In November 1960, these maritime forces of the National People's Army were officially re-designated as the Volksmarine (People's Navy). Over the next years the navy gradually received a number of new ships, mostly built in the GDR. Only the coastal protection ships and some of the fast torpedo boats were provided by the Soviet Union, as were all helicopters, and some auxiliary craft were purchased from Poland.

When the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, the Volksmarine absorbed sea going units of the Grenztruppen and the Grenzbrigade Küste der Grenzpolizei (GBK) (Coastal Border Brigade of the Border Police) was tasked with patrolling the maritime borders of East Germany in an attempt to prevent defections into the West.

 

The uniform displayed here shows Dienstuniform (Service Uniform) of an Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant) in the East German Volksmarine.The uniform is made of the distinctive navy blue gabardine material and unlike the Army, Air Force and Border Troops the uniform does not utilize a system of waffenfarbe designations to distinguish its personnel. Instead it utilizes a system of shoulder epaulettes, service stripes and a sleeve badge to distinguish its troops.

 

 

The visor cap shown here for a junior officer in the Volksmarine. Note the version of the national roundel insignia worn by the Navy with the hammer and compass logo surrounded by a wreath in gold instead of the silver utilized by land based forces. Also of note here is the gold braiding along the brim of the visor cap distinguishing this as the cap of an officer.

Note the standard interior marking of NVA for the East German National Volksarmee. This visor example shown here carries a letter 'P' designation meaning the visor was manufactured in 1986. The number beneath the NVA stamp represents the size of the hat in centimeters, this example is 56cm or roughly 7in by American sizing equivalents.

Here's a close up view of the national insignia worn by the Volksmarine. Note its distinct gold construction complete with the wreath of an officer. 

Here's a close up view of the junior grade officers braiding of the caps of the Volksmarine.

Shown here is a close up of the shoulderboard insignia for a Oberleutenant zur See in the Volksmarine with the silver officer braiding of the shoulderboards and three gold pips of a junior officer. The title of 'zur See' is a designation entitled only to naval personnel signifying their service in the maritime forces.

Instead of the Kragenspiegeln associated with other forces, shown here are the service strikes and sleeve insignia of a Oberleutnant zur See (First Lieutenant) of the Volksmarine Administration service. The administration service badge appears to show a sword with wings surrounded by interlocking snakes climbing to the top in gold embroidering against a navy blue backdrop. Below note the two gold service stripes of a junior grade officer in the People’s Navy.

Here is a close up of the arrangement of the Navy uniform tunic ten button arrangement unique to Naval service uniforms. They feature gold buttons complete with a naval rope and anchor reminiscent of Naval forces around the world.

The uniform would be worn with a white undershirt similar of all NVA issue dress shirts, it would retain the shoulder loops for the wearing of shoulderboards on the shirt and also with a dark navy blue tie. 

Shown here are the Navy blue trousers worn by the Navy. Note that they are unpiped.

Here's a shot of the interior tag of the pants displaying them as a size SG-52. The SG standing for A person of tall height and the 48 being equivalent to 33-36in American waist equivalents.

 

Shown here is the alternate cap worn during the winter. It is the standard issue synthetic fur winter hat with a gabardine crown in navy blue color. Note it retains the gold coat of arms of the East German Navy in the center. The coat of arms in this arrangement is specified to officers in the Volksmarine. 

Here is the NVA stamping on the interior of the hat showing it as with the visor hat 57cm or roughly 7 1/8 in by American sizing equivalents. It carries a letter designation of ‘U’ for its 1978 date of manufacture. The number 1856-101 is the inventory/stock number of the cap.